Clip forming and applying machine



Dec. 16, 1952 LM ETAL 2,621,326

CLIP FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE Filed NOV. 6, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1/0/wzz Dec. 16, 1952 IL N Er 2,621,326

CLIP FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE Filed NOV. 6, 1951 2SHEETSSHEET 2Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES P OFFICE CLIP FORMING AND APPLYINGMACHINE Application November 6, 1951, Serial No. 254,998

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in clip forming and applyingmachines.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an improved apparatus for successively advancingpartially formed clip blanks and completed clips through the forming andapplying jaws of a clip forming and applying machine.

Second, to provide an apparatus of the type described which is rapid andpositive in operation and yet simple and inexpensive.

Third, to provide actuating mechanism for the clip advancing shoe of aclip forming and applying machine, which mechanism is not distorted ordeflected by the operating loads applied thereto.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the followin description and claims:

The drawings, of which there are two sheets, illustrate a preferred formof our clip and blank advancing ap aratus as applied to a clip forminand applying machine.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of the machine to which our advancingapparatus is applied.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the opposite side of theclip forming and applying machine illustrating the external actuatingapparatus for our advancing mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal cross sectional view through theactuating linkage of our advancing mechanism, and the forming andapplvin machine taken along the plane of line 3 in Figs. 2 and 4.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional vie throu h the formingand applying machine and the cli advancin mech nism taken along theplane of the line 44 in Fig. 3'.

Fig. 5 is a fraamentarv vertical cross sectional view taken along theplane of line 5--5 in Fig. 3 illustrating the forming jaws and clip adancing mechanism of our machine in elevation.

The clip and blank advancing mechanism which is the subject of thisinvention is designed primarily for use in a clip forming and applyingmachin of the type more particularly described and claimed in ourcopending application for Clip Forming and Applying Machine, Serial156,444 filed April 17, 1950, and is an improved substitute for theblank and clip feeding apparatus disclosed therein.

The clip forming and applying machine to which our advancing structureis applied consists generally of a vertically extending body plate Ihaving a ram 2 vertically reciprocably mounted thereon. A hydraulic orother fluid operated cylinder 3 is mounted on top of the body I forreciprocating the ram, and a handle d provided with a control trigger 5is secured to the front of the body. As is more particularly describedin our above copending application, the ram 2 is connected to andoperates a pair of vertically reciprocable forming jaws '6 which arepositioned in a recess I in the body I. The forming jaws are arranged tobe advanced downwardly by the ram and to close around a mandrel 8proiecting transversely from the left side of the body I. The ram 2 isalso connected through links indicated at 9 in Fig. 1 to a pair ofreciprocable and swingably mounted closing jaws Ill positioned toreciprocate across the end of the mandrel 8 to proiect below the body Ias indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The closing jaws I ll are adapted toreceive a formed clip from the forming jaws 6 along the mandrel 3 and toproiect the clip downwardly where it can be attached around two wires tobe connected. A second hydraulic or fluid operated cylinder II has itspiston rod l2 connected to a jaw closing plate I3, and the plate I3overlaps one of the closing jaws to move the closing jaws to closedposition.

Stock for forming the clips in the machine is supplied in the form of acontinuous wire l4 through a flexible conduit I5 to a feed rail l6rojecting from the back of the machine. A slide i'I' reciprocablymounted on the rail I 5 is provided with spring pressed dogs I8 arrangedto grip and advance a length of the wire stock into the chamber 1 witheach forward advancing motion of the slide and jaws. The stock It entersthe chamber through a fixed shear block I9 cooperative with a verticallyreciprocable shear block carried by the ram 2 but not illustratedherein. It will be noted that the stock M is advanced across the mandrel8 inwardly of the recess 1 from the forming jaws 6.

The stock feeding slide I1 is reciprocated in timed relationship withthe ram 2 by interconnection of a link 20 pivotally secured to the slideat 2! and pivotally connected to a cam 22 at 23, see Fig. 2. The cam 22is pivotally mounted on the right side of the body at 24 and is providedwith an angled cam slot 25. A pin 26 carried by the ram 2 extendsthrough a vertical slot 2! in the body plate and is received in the slot25 to oscillate the cam upon reciprocation of the ram.

The foregoing structure all constitutes part of our forming andattaching machine as claimed in the above mentioned copendingapplication. The structure by which the incoming clip blanks and formedclips are advanced along the mandrel will now be described. Theadvancing mechanism consists first of a dog 28 supported along the underside of the mandrel 8 by a spring 29. The inner or left end of the dogis provided with upstanding ears 38 positioned on opposite sides of themandrel 8 and projecting thereabove. The upper ends of the ears 30 arenotched as at 3i to receive and advance the clip blank from the shearblock !9 to the forming jaws 6. The inner edges of the ears 30 lieclosely alongside of the mandrel 8 to engage the sides of a clip afterit has been formed around the mandrel, and advance the clip into theclosing jaws as indicated at 32 in Fig. 4.

The outer or right end of the dog 28 is pivotally connected at 33 to avertically extending operating lever 34. The lever is pivota ly mountedon a bracket 35 secured to the right side of a body plate. A spring 36operative against the upper end of the lever 34 biases the lever andshoe 28 toward clip advancing position, but the strength of the springis insumcient to positively advance completed clips along the mandrel,particularly when the clips are tightly clamped around the mandrel bythe forming jaws.

In order to oscillate the lever 34 and clip advancing shoe 28 we providea pin 36 projecting to the right from the link 20. The pin 36 isslidably extended through a slot 31 in a tension link 38, and theforward end of the link 38 is adjustably connected through a pull rod 39to an eye 40. The eye 40 is loosely and tiltably received over a pin 4|carried by a crank element 42. The crank element 42 is pivoted to abracket 43 on the base plate as at 44, and is provided with a rearwardlyextending arm 45 having a nose 46 positioned to press against the lever34 below its pivot. Thus the last outward or retracting motion of thefeed slide H will draw the link 3'! and rod 35 to the rear concurrentlyswinging the crank 45 into advancing engagement with the lever 34.

In order to retract the lever arm 3 and shoe 28 from clip advancingposition the forward end of the slide actuating link 20 is transverselybeveled as at l! and engageable with the inner or left side of the lever3 Thus as the slide I1 is advanced forwardly with a new strip of stock,the beveled surface 41 and the link 28 engage the left or inner edge ofthe lever 34 to retract the lever and the shoe 28. The forward end ofthe link 20 is held against deflection away from the body plate I by anear 48 extending from the bracket 49 that connects the slide rail I tothe body plate.

This disclosure is intended only as an example of our clip blank andclip advancing mechanism, and not as a limitation of our invention asset forth in the claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a wire working machine, a support plate having a mandrelprojecting normally therefrom, a pair of work forming jaws reciprocableon said plate to and from said mandrel to form work therearound, a pairof closing jaws reciprocable to and from said mandrel at alongitudinally spaced position from the ends of said mandrel, a stockfeeding element carried by said plate and reciprocable toward saidmandrel from the side thereof to feed wire stock across the mandrel at apoint spaced longitudinally from said forming jaws, a reciprocable ramconnected to actuate said jaws, a link cam actuated by said ram andconnected to said feeding element to actuate said feeding element intimed relationship with said jaws, a work advancing element slidablelongitudinally along said mandrel, a lever pivotally supported on saidplate on a pivot transverse to said mandrel and spaced therefrom andconnected at its swinging end to said work advancing element to actuatethe latter, an angle shaped lever having one end pivotally supported onsaid plate about an axis parallel to the line of movement of said ramand spaced from said first lever, said angle shaped lever having itsother end abuttingly engaged with a swinging portion of said first leverto advance the latter, a second link having one end pivotally connectedto said angle shaped lever at a point between the ends thereof, meanslongitudinally adjustably connected to the other end of said second linkforming a lost motion connection to said work feeding element, thepivotal connection be tween said second link and said angle shaped leverpermitting vertical tilting of said second link with respect to saidangle shaped lever, and a bar reciprocable with said stock feedingelement and having a cammed nose engageable with said first lever inopposition to said angle shaped lever to retract said work advancingelement upon feeding motion of said stock feeding element.

2. In a wire working machine, a support plate having a mandrelprojecting therefrom, a pair of work forming jaws reciprocable on saidplate to and from said mandrel to form work therearound, a pair ofclosing jaws reciprocable to and from said mandrel at a longitudinallyspaced position from the ends of said mandrel, a stock feeding elementcarried by said plate and reciprocable toward said mandrel from the sidethereof to feed wire stock across the mandrel at point spacedlongitudinally from said forming jaws, a reciprocable ram connected toactuate said jaws, a link cam actuated by said ram and connected to saidfeeding element to actuate said feeding element in timed relationshipwith said jaws, a work advancing element slidable longitudinally alongsaid mandrel, a lever pivotally supported on said plate on a pivottransverse to said mandrel and spaced therefrom and connected at itsswinging end to said work advancing element to actuate the latter, anangle shaped lever having one end pivotally supported on said plateabout an axis parallel to the line of movement of said ram and spacedfrom said first lever, said angle shaped lever having its other endabuttingly engaged with a swinging portion of said first lever toadvance the latter. a second link having one end pivotally connected tosaid angle shaped lever at a point between the ends thereof, meansconnected to the other end of said second link forming a lost motionconnection to said work feeding element, and a bar reciprocable withsaid stock feeding element and having cammed nose engageable with saidfirst lever in opposition to said an le shaped lever to retract saidwork advancing element upon feeding motion of said stock feedingelement.

3. In a wire working machine, a support plate having a mandrelprojecting therefrom, a plurality of pairs of working jaws spaced fromeach other longitudinally of said mandrel and reciprocable on said platetransversely to and from.

said mandrel to operate on work located at positions spacedlongitudinally of said mandrel, a stock feeding element carried by saidplate and reciprocable to and from said mandrel from the side thereof tofeed Wire stock across the mandrel at a point spaced longitudinally fromsaid working jaws, a reciprocable ram connected to actuate said jaws,means actuated by said ram and connected to said feeding element toactuate said feeding element in timed relationship with said jaws, awork advancing element slidable longitudinally along said mandrel toadvance work therealong from said feeding element and successively tosaid pairs of jaws, a lever pivotally supported on said plate andconnected at its swinging end to said work advancing element to actuatethe latter, a second lever having one end pivotally supported on saidplate and having its other end abuttingly engaged with a swingingportion of said first lever, a link having one end pivotally connectedto said second lever at a point offset from a line between the endsthereof, means connected to the other end of said link forming a lostmotion connection to said work feeding element, the pivotal connectionbetween said second link and said angle shaped lever permitting verticaltilting of said second link with respect to said angle shaped lever, anda bar reciprocable with said stock feeding element and having a cammedportion engageable with said first lever in opposition to said secondlever to retract said work advancing element upon feeding motion of saidstock feeding element.

4. In a wire working machine, a support plate having a, mandrelprojecting therefrom, a plurality of pairs of working jaws spaced fromeach other longitudinally of said mandrel and reciprocable on said platetransversely to and from said mandrel to operate on work located atpositions spaced longitudinally of said mandrel, a stock feeding elementcarried by said plate and reciprocable to and from said mandrel from theside thereof to feed wire stock across the mandrel at a point spacedlongitudinally from said working jaws, a reciprocable ram connected toactuate said jaws, means actuated by said ram and connected to saidfeeding element to actuate said feeding element in timed relationshipwith said jaws, a work advancing element slidable longitudinally alongsaid mandrel to advance work therealong from said feeding element andsuccessively to said pairs of jaws, a lever pivotally supported on saidplate and connected at its swinging end to said work advancing elementto actuate the latter, a second lever having one end pivotally supportedon said plate and having its other end abuttingly engaged with aswinging portion of said first lever, a link having one end pivotallyconnected to said second lever at a point ofiset from a line between theends thereof, means connected to the other end of said link forming alost motion connection to said work feeding element, and a barreciprocable with said stock feeding element and having a cammed portionengageable with said first lever in opposition to said second lever toretract said work advancing element upon feeding motion of said stockfeeding element.

5. In a wire working machine, a support plate having a mandrelprojecting therefrom, a plurality of pairs of working jaws spaced fromeach other longitudinally of said mandrel and recip rocable on saidplate transversely to and from said mandrel to operate on work locatedat positions spaced longitudinally of said mandrel, a reciprocable ramconnected to actuate said working jaws, a work advancing elementslidable longitudinally along said mandrel to advance work therealongbetween said pairs of jaws, a first lever pivotally supported on saidplate and connected at its swinging end to said work advancing elementto actuate the latter, a second lever having one end pivotally supportedon said plate and having its other end abuttingly engaged with aswinging portion of said first lever, a link having one end pivotallyconnected to said second lever at a point offset from a line between theends thereof, means connected to the other end of said link forming alost motion connection to said ram whereby retracting motion of said ramwill pull said link to advance said second lever and said work advancingelement at the end of the retracting motion of said ram, and a barreciprocably driven in timed relationship with said ram and having aportion cammingly engageable with said first lever in opposition to saidsecond lever to retract said first lever and said work advancing elementat the beginning of the work advancing motion of said ram.

6. In a wire working machine, a support plate having a mandrelprojecting therefrom, a plurality of pairs of Working jaws spaced fromeach other longitudinally of said mandrel and reciprocable on said platetransversely to and from said mandrel to operate on work located atpositions spaced longitudinally of said mandrel, a reciprocable ramconnected to actuate said forming jaws, a work advancing elementslidable longitudinally along said mandrel to advance work therealongbetween said pairs of jaws, a first lever pivotally supported on saidplate and connected at its swinging end to said work advancing elementto actuate the latter, a second lever having one end pivotally supportedon said plate and having its other end abuttingly engaged with aswinging portion of said first lever, a link having one end pivotallyconnected to said second lever at a point offset from a line between theends thereof, and means connected to the other end of said link forminga lost motion connection to said rain whereby retracting motion of saidram will all said link to advance said second lever and said workadvancing element at the end of the retracting motion of said ram.

7. In a clip forming and applying machine having a reciprocable ram andforming and closing jaws reciprocably operated thereby, and a mandrelcarried by said machine and cooperative with said forming jaws to have aclip formed therearound, the combination of a clip blank and clipadvancin shoe positioned to advance work along said mandrel to saidforming jaws and said closing jaws and reciprocably supported below saidmandrel, an actuating lever pivotally connected to said shoe and saidmachine, a reciprocable slide arranged to advance stock into saidmachine, means connecting said slide to said ram for reciprocationthereby, a crank pivotally supported on said machine about a pivotparallel to the path of said ram and having its swinging end engagedwith said lever in work advancing relationship, and an adjust-able linkpivotally connected between said crank and said slide to positivelyadvance said lever and said shoe upon retracting motion of said slide,said link having a lost motion connection with said slide.

8. In a clip forming and applying machine having a reciprocable ram andforming and closing jaws reciprocably operated thereby, and a mandrelcarried by said machine normal to the paths of movement of said jaws andcooperative with said forming jaws to have a clip formed therearound,the combination of a clip blank and clip advancing shoe positioned toadvance work along said mandrel and supported below said mandrel forreciprocation therealong, an actuating lever pivotally connected to saidshoe and said machine, a slide arranged to advance stock into saidmachine, a crank pivotally supported on said machine and having itsswinging end engaged with said lever in work advancing relationship, andan adjustable link pivotally connected between said crank and said slideto positively advance said lever and said shoe upon retracting motion ofsaid slide, said link having a lost motion connection with said slide.

BERNARD HEILMAN.

ANTHONY LENART.

No references cited.

